Greenville, SC - Operation Intercept (OPIN)
the U.S. Marshals fugitive apprehension task force made up of Deputy U.S.
Marshals and officers with the Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson
County Sheriff’s Offices, Greenville City Police, SLED, alongside Deputy US
Marshals from the Appalachian Fugitive Investigative Strike Team (AFIST) in
Asheville, NC and Asheville Police, announce the location and apprehension of
Tavish Yeargin, Kayla Williams, and Nyia Utsey at a hotel off of Old Haywood Rd
in Asheville, NC late Wednesday evening.

Yeargin, Williams, and Utsey were wanted for the
alleged Murder of Sean Timothy Dinneen on September 17 in the parking lot of
Crosswell Baptist Church, located on South Fishtrap Road between Easley and
Greenville, SC. Pickens County Sheriff’s Office began to work diligently with
the OPIN Task Force immediately after determining that all three subjects were
involved in the shooting.

It was believed that Yeargin, Williams, and Utsey
fled the Greenville area sometime on Tuesday September 20. On Wednesday
September 21, it was reported and confirmed, Yeargin had robbed a bank in
Spartanburg. OPIN Task Force developed information leading them to believe the
three fugitives headed north to Asheville, NC after the alleged bank robbery. On
Wednesday evening OPIN traveled to Asheville and joined forces with AFIST and
the Asheville Police Department. After arriving in Asheville, Marshals were
provided a tip leading them to a hotel at Old Haywood Rd. Once at the hotel
Marshals located the fugitive’s vehicle and were able to determine Yeargin and
an unknown female had checked into a room and Utsey and Williams in a separate
room. OPIN and AFIST apprehended Yeargin, Williams, and Utsey in their separate
rooms without incident. All three fugitives were transported to the Buncombe
County Detention Center where they are awaiting bond and extradition hearings
for their return to South Carolina.

“Fleeing may have seemed reasonable to these
fugitives. However, law enforcement partnerships have proven fruitful again in
the location and apprehension of Yeargin, Williams, and Utsey. These three
significant and rapid arrests have brought justice to the Dinneen family. Let
this be an invitation to other law enforcement agencies to contact OPIN when
assistance is needed.” stated Kelvin Washington, US Marshal for the District of
South Carolina.

Established in 1789, the United States Marshals
Service is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. In fiscal 2010,
the Marshals arrested more than 36,100 federal fugitives, clearing 39,400 felony
warrants and arrested 11,072 sex offenders. Marshal’s Service-led task forces
like South Carolina’s Operation Intercept arrested 81,900 state and local
fugitives, clearing 108,200 felony warrants. Locally, Operation Intercept
arrested over 2,500 South Carolina fugitives during that same period.